Ethics unveils 13 Rangel charges

A scathing House ethics report charges that Rep. Charles Rangel, an iconic New York powerbroker, violated 13 ethics and federal regulations covering public officials, including pressuring lobbyists and corporations to cough up millions for a New York college building bearing Rangel’s name.

In releasing a "Statement of Alleged Violation" of against Rangel, investigators drew a portrait of a veteran lawmaker who used his office and staffers for his own personal benefit and aggrandizement, repeatedly running afoul of House financial disclosure rules. He now faces an ethics “trial” unless he’s able to cut a deal with the ethics committee.

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"We must regain the public's trust," Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the lead Republican on the ethics subcommittee "jury" hearing the case. "

The headliner allegations are that he improperly solicited money from corporate officials and lobbyists for the Charles B. Rangel Public Policy Center in New York; that he failed to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars of income and assets on financial disclosure forms; that he maintained multiple rent-stabilized apartments in violation of New York City rules; and failed to pay income taxes on a Dominican island resort home.

McCaul said that, if proven, the allegations amounted to "multiple violations of House rules and federal statutes."

Rangel is also accused of violating House gift rules and congressional franking regulations, and the ethics subcommittee says his conduct reflects “discredit on the House.”

In a 32-page response to the report by congressional investigators, Rangel's attorneys called it deeply flawed in its factual premises and legal theories, not only with regard to [the Rangel Center] CCNY, but also as to the other claims."

“The undisputed evidence in the record — assembled by the investigative subcommittee over its nearly two-year investigation — is that Congressman Rangel did not dispense any political favors, that he did not intentionally violate any law, rule or regulation, and that he did not misuse his public office for private gain,” Rangel’s lawyers wrote.

In the most serious set of allegations, ethics investigators - led by Reps. Gene Green (D-Texas) and Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) - charged that between 2005 and 2008, Rangel used his congressional staff “to develop a list of potential donors” to the Rangel Center, then mailed letters from his Capitol Hill office, on official letterhead, to those donors.

Rangel pressured lobbyists for several of the corporations getting those funding requests to find out if and when the donations would be made.

And he lobbied his colleagues to approve millions of federal tax dollars for the Rangel Center.

"The entities solicited were seeking official action from the House and/or interests that might be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of [Rangel's] official duties," the investigative panel's statement notes. "Contributions were made by persons with interests before the Ways and Means Committee. Contributions to the Rangel Center were made at the request of and as a favor to [Rangel]. Contributions to the Rangel Center provided a benefit to [Rangel]."